Safety-switch.



J. E. MUSTARD.

SAFETY SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED we. a. 1908.

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Patented June 22, 1909;

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J. B, MUSTARD.

SAFETY SWITCH. APPLICATION HLBDAUG. 8. 1908.

Patented June22, 1909. I

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G How up UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. MUSTARD, OF OROVILLE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOTHOMAS M. ANDREW, OF LA FAYETTE, INDIANA.

SAFETY-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .Tune.22,1909.

Application filed August 8, 1908. Serial No. 447,565.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES E. MUSTARD, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Oroville, in the county of Butte and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSafety-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention consists of certain improvements upon that shownand described in my Letters Patent N 0. 508,232, dated November 7, 1893,whereby the construction and operation are simplified, as will behereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof,and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure1 is a side elevation of a portion of a railway track embodying a switchcontaining my present improvements, and showing a fragment of alocomotive approaching and about to operate said switch, the parts beingin the position they occupy when the switch is open; Fig. 2 is a top orplan view of the portion of track and switch; Fig. 3 a detail plan viewof the switch and immediately adjacent parts, on an enlarged scale; Fig.4 a transverse sectional view thereof, as seen from the dotted line 4-4in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 a view similar to Fig. 3, but with the switch in itsopposite or shifted position; Fig. 6 a detail sectional view, on a stillfurther enlarged scale, as seen when looking in the direction indicatedby the arrows from the dotted line 66 in Fig. 3 Fig. 7 a transversesectional view as seen when looking in the direction indicated by thearrows from the dotted lines 77 in Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 a view similar toFig. 1, but with the parts in the positions they occupy when the switchis closed.

The main track rails 21 and 22 and switch rails 23 and 24 are of anordinary construction and arrangement. The portion 22 and thecorresponding end of rail 24 are movable, as is common, and are unitedby a switch bar 25. In an ordinary switch stand 26 is mounted anordinary vertically disposed shaft 27, upon the upper end of which isthe operating handle 28 and which is provided at the lower end with anarm 31, which is connected by means of a jointed link (forming acontinuation of the switch bar) composed of two parts 32 and 33 with theadjacent end of the switch bar 25, the connection being made by means ofivots 34 and 35. The two parts 32 and 33 o the linksare connected by ahinge formation, the stud 36 ond arm 41, which is connected, by means ofa link 42, with a swinging arm 43, and said swinging arm is connected bypivot 44 with member 33. A connection 45 extends back from swinging arm43 to an operating lever 46, which lever is arranged alongside therailway track, and is carried by rockshaft 47. On the opposite end ofrock shaft 47 is an arm 48. At the opposite side of the switch,alongside track rail 21, is a second 0 erating or switch lever 51,similar to operating lever 46. This is pivoted and mounted'on a suitableshaft 52, and is connected by means of a suitable connection 53 with thelower end of arm 48 on rock shaft 47.

When the two members 32 and 33 are in line with each other and held toposition by latch 37, the switch is operated from the switch stand bymeans of handle 28, in the ordinary and well known manner. The switchstand is provided with notches adjacent to said handle with which saidhandle will engage and by means of which the switch is locked to eitherof the two ordinary positions, all as will be readily understood.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Assuming now that theswitch is in its open position, as shown in all the drawings exceptFigs. 5 and 8, and assuming that a train is approaching which would passon the main track, a strike, as 61, secured to the locomotive will comein contact with the lever 46 when the train is moving in one direction,and with the lever 51 when the train is moving in the other direction,and, through the various connections, will close the switch, as will bereadily understood. The force imparted to lever 46 will, throughconnection 45 and swinging arm 43, overcome the engaging force of latch37 and swing the parts from the position indicated by the full lines inFig.

3 to the position indicated by the dotted lines therein, without movingthe switch shaft 27 or its handle 28. The switch is, therefore, by thissimple device, rendered entirely safe, and all accidents due to acareless leaving of the switch open are entirely precluded. The strike61, and the lever with which it comes in contact, being always upon theright hand side, are only operated when a train is advancing. Theoperation of backing into the switch will not therefore be interferedwith. When the switch is closed, and the parts thus thrown to theosition indicated in Figs. 5 and 8, there be no contact whatever, as theconnection 45 will be slackened enough to permit the levers 46 and 51 tolie down alongside the track, the rock-shaft 47 rocking to that extent.As will be observed by a comparison of Figs. 3 and 5, the arm 43 whenthe switching levers are ino erative position is substantially at rightang es with the part to which it is attached; while, when the switch isclosed, said art 43 is swung around to an acute angle wit the part towhich it is attached.

By my present invention I dispense with the pulleys and necessaryaccompanying devices, and also with the duplication of strikes on thelocomotive and with the necessary multiplication of parts necessary tomy former invention, and secure a greater certainty of operation.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is 2-- 1. The combination, in arailway switch, with the switch points, of a switch bar composed ofthree parts jointed together, a yielding latch whereby two of said partsare normally held in line, an arm pivotally mounted on said switch bar,a lever located alongside the track and connected to said arm on saidswitch-bar, a link connecting said pivoted arm and an arm on the switchshaft, and a strike or contact device on a moving train attached to comein contact with said lever alongside the track, whereby the jointedswitch-bar is forced from its straight position and the switch openedwithout shifting the position of the switchshaft, said switch-shaftbeing enabled by means of its link connection with the pivotally-mountedarm to release said switch-lever from operative position.

2. The combination, in a railway switch, with the switch points, of aswitch bar composed of three parts jointed together, a switch stand, aswitch shaft therein having the ordinary operating handle upon its upperend, and means for locking the same in its operated positions, two armsat its lower end, one of which is connected to said switch bar, an armpivotally mounted on said switch bar, a link connecting the other of thearms on the switch shaft with said pivotallymounted arm, and meansoperable from the moving train for actuating the switch through the lastmentioned arms and link.

3. The combination, in a railway switch, with the switch points, of aswitch bar composed of three parts jointed together, a yielding latchwhereby said parts are normally held in line, means operable from themoving train for overcoming the latch and closing the switch when thrownto open position by the ordinary means, said means including a swingingarm carried by said switch bar and a connection from said swinging armto the switch shaft whereby when the switch is closed the means foroperating the switch by the movingtrain will be rendered inoperative.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at La Fayette,Indiana, this 3d day of August, A. D. one thousand nine hundred andeight.

JAMES E. MUSTARD.

